‘That Was Hard’: Ewan McGregor Reflects On Massive Backlash Against ‘Star Wars’ Prequels
HuffPost
The native Scotsman vividly remembers how panned “The Phantom Menace” was only to realize he had signed on for two more sequels.
Ewan McGregor vividly remembers joining the “Star Wars” universe to critical disaster.
While the Scotsman had already starred in notable films when “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace” (1999) began production, McGregor’s casting as Obi-Wan Kenobi raised his profile overnight. The critical backlash, however, ultimately proved just as memorable.
“I am happy that I am this character for a lot of people, but when these films came out, they were so disliked,” McGregor told Variety in an interview published Wednesday. “That was hard. The first one was panned, and we still had to make another two!”
He continued, “It was weird to be in a film that was hammered.”
George Lucas built an empire out of “Star Wars” (1977) and its sequels, which introduced whole generations to lightsabers, handsome rogues and a digestible notion of good vs. evil. The fandom certainly hadn’t gone dormant after but powerfully reawakened in 1998.
